Watch CBS News

Police: Mom Charged After Pulling Girl's Hair Causes Internal Bleeding

CONWAY (KDKA) – A Beaver County woman is facing charges after allegedly pulling her 6-year-old daughter's hair so hard that she caused internal bleeding.

According to police, Brittany Ruck, 25, of Conway, is charged in the Aug. 31 incident.

The criminal complaint states the girl's scalp was separated from her skull as a result of Ruck pulling on her hair.

"The head injury was described in medical terms as traction," said Michael Priolo, of the Conway Police Department. "It is a separation between the scalp and skull which creates a void that fills with blood. The blood ended up pulling around the eyes, giving her raccoon eyes."

Children's Hospital alerted police while treating the girl.

According to the criminal complaint, the child told police Ruck had, "pulled her out of a chair by her hair for her inability to count to 12."

"The female was having a difficult time counting to 12. She could count to 10 because she had 10 fingers," said Priolo.

The child also said Ruck pulled her into a corner by her hair the next day.

The child spent several days at Children's Hospital. She's since been released and is staying with a relative.

Ruck has since admitted to pulling the girl's hair on multiple occasions.

Police say she thought she wasn't doing anything wrong.

"Her mother had assaulted her when she was younger, and she was going back to that, saying, 'This is what happened to me and I'm still here,'" said Priolo.

Ruck has two other kids as well, ages 4 and 1. Neighbors say she just moved into her Catherine Drive home in the spring with the children and her fiancé. KDKA's Amy Wadas knocked on the door, but no one was home.

Police believe Ruck's fiancé wasn't around during the abuse and probably won't be charged.

Ruck is being held in the Beaver County Jail on $50,000 bond. She is charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for next Thursday, Oct. 23.

You May Also Be Interested In These Latest News Stories

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.